Gemcitabine: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

Functions & Usage

What is the drug Gemcitabine used for?

Gemcitabine is a drug to treat several types of cancer (including breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic cancer). This medication is used alone or with other cancer / drug treatments. Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.

OTHER USES: This section contains uses of this medication that are not listed on an expertly approved label for the drug, but may be prescribed by your doctor. Use this medication for the conditions listed in this section if only it has been prescribed by your healthcare professional.

This drug may also be used to treat certain other cancers, such as bladder cancer.

How are the rules for using the drug Gemcitabine?

This medication is given by injection into a vein by a healthcare professional, usually more than 30 minutes once a week or as directed by your doctor. Dosage is based on medical condition and response to treatment.

If this medicine comes in contact with your skin, wash your skin immediately with soap and water.

Follow the rules given by your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How do I store Gemcitabine?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Precautions & Warnings

What should be considered before using the drug Gemcitabine?

Before using gemcitabine,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to gemcitabine, any other medication, or any of the ingredients in gemcitabine. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients that make up the drug
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products that you are using or will be using.
• Tell your doctor if you drink or have ever consumed large amounts of alcohol or if you have ever had liver disease, including hepatitis, or kidney disease.
• Tell your doctor if you have previously received or are currently receiving radiation therapy.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while receiving gemcitabine, call your doctor. Gemcitabine can harm the fetus.
• Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. You should not breastfeed while you are receiving gemcitabine injection.

Is the drug Gemcitabine safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category D according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = No risk,
• B = not at risk in several studies,
• C = May be risky,
• D = There is positive evidence of risk,
• X = Contraindicated,
• N = Unknown

There are not adequate studies in women to determine the risk to infants when using this medicine during breastfeeding. Weigh the benefits against the potential risks before using this medicine while breastfeeding.

Side effects

What are the possible side effects of Gemcitabine?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: nausea, vomiting, sweating, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, or feel like you might pass out.

Stop using gemcitabine and call your doctor if you have any of the following serious side effects:

• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• nausea, upper abdominal pain, hives, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general feeling of pain;
• sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
• sudden severe headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
• white patches or sores inside your mouth or lips;
• pain, swelling, or change in skin where the needle was placed;
• hearing problems;
• blood in your urine; or
• breathing problems.

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
• diarrhea or constipation;
• swelling in your hands, ankles, or soles of the feet;
• skin rash;
• numbness or tingling feeling;
• drowsiness; or
• hair loss..

Not everyone experiences the following side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug Interactions

What drugs can interfere with the drug Gemcitabine?

Drug interactions can change the performance of your medications or increase the risk of serious side effects. Not all possible drug interactions are listed in this document. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription / non-prescription drugs and herbal products) and consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any medication without your doctor's approval

Using this medication with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Rotavirus Vaccine, Live

Using this medication with any of the following medicines is not usually recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or adjust how often you use one or both drugs.

• Adenovirus Vaccine Type 4, Live
• Adenovirus Vaccine Type 7, Live
• Aprepitant
• Bacillus Calmette and Guerin Vaccines, Live
• Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
• Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
• Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
• Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
• Smallpox vaccine
• Typhoid Vaccine
• Varicella Virus Vaccine
• Yellow fever vaccine

Using this medication with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or adjust how often you use one or both drugs.

• Warfarin

Can certain foods and drinks interfere with the work of the drug Gemcitabine?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interfere with the performance of the drug Gemcitabine?

The presence of other health problems in your body may affect the use of this medicine. Tell your doctor if you have other health problems.:

• Smallpox (including recent exposure)
• Shingles (shingles) - Risk of the disease getting worse and spreading to other parts of the body
• Infection - Gemcitabine can decrease your body's ability to fight infection
• Kidney illness
• Liver disease, severe - This condition sometimes increases the effect of the drugs, which cleanses the drug from the body more slowly.

Dose

The information provided is not a substitute for a doctor's prescription. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of the drug Gemcitabine for adults?

Ovarian cancer

Recommended Dosage and Schedule

The recommended dose of Gemzar is 1000 mg / m² as intravenous infusion for 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 of each 21 day cycle, in combination with intravenous carboplatin AUC 4 given after Gemzar administration on Day 1 of each 21 day cycle. Please read the carboplatin information on the prescription for additional information.

Breast cancer

Recommended Dosage and Schedule

The recommended Gemzar dosage is 1250 mg / m² intravenously for 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 of each 21 day cycle that includes paclitaxel. Paclitaxel should be given at 175 mg / m² on Day 1 as an intravenous infusion 3 hours before Gemzar administration.

Non-small cell lung cancer

Recommended Dosage and Schedule

Schedule every 4 weeks

The recommended Gemzar dosage is 1000 mg / m² intravenously for 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 in combination with cisplatin therapy. Intravenous use of cisplatin at 100 mg / m² on day 1 after Gemzar infusion.

Schedule every 3 weeks

The recommended Gemzar dosage is 1250 mg / m² intravenously for 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 in combination with cisplatin therapy. Intravenous use of cisplatin at 100 mg / m² on day 1 after Gemzar infusion.

Pancreatic cancer

Recommended Dosage and Schedule

The recommended dose of Gemzar is 1000 mg / m² for 30 minutes intravenously.

Recommended weekly treatment schedule:

Weeks 1-8: weekly dosing for the first 7 weeks followed by the remainder of one week.

After week 8: weekly doses on days 1, 8, and 15 of the 28-day cycle.

What is the dose of the drug Gemcitabine for children?

The safety and effectiveness of Gemcitabine for injection are not known in pediatric patients.

The safety and pharmacokinetics of Gemcitabine were evaluated in a pediatric patient with refractory leukemia. The maximum dose tolerated is 10 mg / m2 / minute for 360 minutes three times a week followed by a one week rest period.

The safety and activity of Gemcitabine for injection were evaluated in a trial of pediatric patients with recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia (22 patients) and acute myeloblastic leukemia (10 patients) at a dose of 10 mg / m2 / min given for 360 minutes three times a week followed by a rest period of one week.. Toxicity observed included bone marrow suppression, fever neutropenia, elevated serum transaminases, nausea, and rash / desquamation. No meaningful clinical activity could be observed in this trial.

In what dosages and preparations is Gemcitabine available?

Solution, intravenous: 200 mg / 5.26 mL, 1g / 26.3 mL, 2g / 52.6 mL

Dissolved solution, intravenous: 200 mg, 1 g, 2 g

What to do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Overdose symptoms may include:

• Severe rash
• Pain, burning, or tingling sensation in the hands or feet
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• The stool is red or black like clay
• Pink, red, or dark brown urine
• Coughing up or vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
• Fever, sore throat, persistent cough and congestion, or other signs of infection
• Extreme fatigue

What should I do if I forget to take medicine or forget to take medicine?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.